Looking at what has been left in the wake of the twister that has hit America. My thoughts go out to the families and friends of those involved.
Yet again, I have a concern. When you look at the devastation you realise that the wind speeds of up to 200mph have ripped off roofs and thrown wood all over the place.
Wood! Not brick. Wood. For years we have been in love with Ty Pennington and the program Extreme Makeover, Home Edition as he and his crew go and demolish a house and rebuild it in seven days for a deserving family. In seven days you can build a house with wood. Not brick.
In the wizard of Oz, Dorothy is whisked away in the wooden farmhouse in a tornado and brought crashing down into the world of Oz.
Why are so many houses in America built of wood. especially in areas where you have hurricanes and tornados? "As safe as houses" normally implies a place where people are comfortable and a sanctuary for all inside. Not so in this case.
I understand the concept of using what you have and building quickly and cheaply but not in areas where your life will be threatened. People choose to live there knowing of the issues but not in houses that are fit for purpose.
In the UK in recent years we have had much flooding due to additional rain ( but still we have hosepipe bans) yet we build houses in floodable areas that are repeatedly under water.
Surely house builders have a responsibility to build houses so that they are raised a metre or so and have a space below the ground floor.
I watched a recent news reel of volcanic eruptions in Italy taken from the towns below. BELOW. Yes they may have a major eruption every few hundred years but surely common sense says there is no wisdom In building houses so close to a ticking time bomb.
Is it just me or by knowing what we know it is better to build well once rather than rebuild continually, one dollar from the builders versus 10 dollars in insurance?
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